Ex-Joint List leader Ayman Odeh is politician suspected by Shin Bet of receiving foreign funds – report

Ayman Odeh, the former leader of the Joint List party, has been identified as the senior Arab lawmaker suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash from a foreign source, according to Hebrew media reports.

Shin Bet chief David Zini has reportedly sought to question him as part of a probe into alleged foreign election interference.

The report on Odeh, who is set to depart from the Knesset when new lawmakers are sworn in next week, follows yesterday’s report that Zini sought to question four Arab politicians, including Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas, Ta’al leader Ahmad Tibi and Balad chief Sami Abu Shehadeh, without providing evidence against them. That prompted a rare public rebuke from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who stressed that no one could be questioned without sufficient evidence.

The Shin Bet has denied seeking to question the four politicians, saying it had instead sought to question people in their orbit, according to Hebrew media.

Odeh has now been identified as the lone senior Joint List MK whose alleged wrongdoing, according to authorities, justifies questioning.

In response, Odeh calls the Shin Bet’s investigation into alleged foreign election interference “political persecution.” He does not directly address the reported allegations against him.

“The historic turnout among Arab citizens drove [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the fascists out of their minds,” Odeh says in a statement, adding that fear of losing power was making them “fire in every direction.”

“As we get closer to the swearing-in of the Knesset and the end of Netanyahu’s rule, you will see more and more spins and lies,” he says, urging his allies to keep working to replace Netanyahu’s government.